Locomotive boiler



Jan. 4, 1944.

B. E. LARSON ETAL LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1% )f k zm 1944- B. E. LARSON-ETA; 2,338,185

LOCOHOTIVE BOILER Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCOMOTIVE BOILER." I

Bert E. Larson, Park Ridge, and Gust J. Christenson,-Chicago, 111., 'assignors to Locomotive Firebox Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMay; 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,161

' (o1. 122--ss 8 Claims.

. This invention relates to improvementsin l,oco.- motive boilers and it consists of the matters here.-

inafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. The invention is more especially concerned withlocomotive boil-- ers having a firebox in which is'locatedone or more water steaming and circulating elements that cause a flow of water from the lowerportion of the boiler, forward of the .main firechamhard the firebox, to a higher partioftheboiler boiler. Duplex syphons of this kind are especially advantageous for use in connection with the rela.-

tively long fireboxcs and which may includeacombustion chamber in conjunction with the;

main firechamber.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a locomotive boiler having-a. duplex syphon equipped firebox of the combustion chamber type, which is so constructed that a better water circulation is established throughout the length of the boiler and whereby theitemperature of the water is more fully and quickly equalized, thereby reducing cracks and checksin, the sheets of the firebox, as well as avoiding leaking stay bolts and other conditions which make frequent servicings necessary and increase. maintenance expense.

Another object of the invention is, to provide a locomotive boiler having one or-more. duplex syphons in the firebox thereof. that, function to take in water not only from toward the'frcntend of the boiler water space but also from parts of said water space adjacent the front-.ofthefirebox and thereby establish a more rapid circulation of Water from said parts to eliminate any quiet areas in the front throat: and side water legs and thus avoid the deposit. of solids in the bottom of said throat and side water legs.

Also, it is an object of, the invention to provide a locomotive boiler having duplex syphons in its firebox and wherein the intakes of said: syphons The plurality of inlets, for said body,

inno way interfere with ordisturb the setting-of: the brick making up the fire arch of thefirebox when such an arch is desired.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as.:others, together with the advantages. thereof, will more fully appear as the specificae tion proceeds,

In the drawings:- p

Fig. l is a .longitudinal vertical sectional viewthrough a locomotive boiler embodyingone. form. ofthe invention.)

, Fig. 2 is, a transverse: vertical sectional view,

on an. enlarged scale, through a. part of the firebox end of the. boiler as takenon the line 2-2., of Fig.1.,

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional. View through a part of the boiler forward of the, firebox as taken on the line 33 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is, a longitudinal, horizontal fragmen tary sectional view, on a scale enlarged over Fig, land as taken on the. line 4-4 ofsaidFig. 1.

Fig, 5 is a longitudinalvertical section-a1 view through the firebox end of a locomotive boiler embodying, a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view throughthefirebox end of the boiler'construction shown in Fig, 5 as taken on the line 6 6 of said Fig. 5. V

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the accompanying drawings, the improved boiler comprises a relatively long barrel or shell I0 at the front end of which is asmokebox I I and in the rear end of which is a firebox indicated asa whole at; IZ. The smokebox which is sepa-' rated'from the steam and water space [3 of the barrel by a. fiueisheet i4, is closed atits front'end Ila and at the top of the smokebox is mounted astack llb.

The firebox, I2 is herein shown as being of the combustion chamber type to include a main fire chamber lZa. and combustion chamber I212, the. front end of which is. defined by a flue or tube sheet Ma. The firebox includes side sheets l5, a. crownsheet It, a back sheet I! and a. front throat sheet l8.v the side sheets. extend forwardly of the throat sheet to form the top and the, sides of the combustion chamber I21)v and the bottom I 9- 0f the combustion chamber merges at its rearend into the top. end of the throat sheet l8. Tubes or fiues. 20 are operatively connected at their ends. in the flue sheets I4-I4a respectively, for the. passageicf products ofcombusion from the fire- The crown sheet and a partof.

the top portion of the throat 26 are in open communication with the steam and water space |3 of the boiler forward of the main firechamber |2a of the firebox.

Of course, the various boiler and firebox sheets above mentioned are staybolted in the conventional manner (but not herein shown) and portions of the inside and outside back sheets I! and 22 are mutually formed to provide a fuel door opening 28.

instance is shown in Fig. 1 as being located on the top longitudinal center line of sheet near the flue I4, the barrel or shell I 0.

The firebox is herein illustrated as containing one or more Water steaming and circulating elements, each indicated as a whole at 3|]. In the present instance, said elements are constituted by the syphons of the so-called duplex type. When only one syphon is employed, say in a relatively narrow firebox, it is disposed in the longitudinal median line thereof. When two of such syphons are employed in a wider firebox, then one syphon is disposed upon each side of said median line, as appears in Fig. 2. If more than two syphons are used, they are substantially equally spaced.

Each syphon as here shown, includes a flat, hollow body formed to provide front and rear end compartments 3 |-32 separated by an intermediate shallower compartment 33. Each body includes vertically spaced side walls 34-34 and front and rear end walls 35 and 36 respectively. The side walls and the front and rear end walls are flared outwardly around the entire top end of the body to provide a marginal flange 31 that is fitted and welded into a suitable longitudinal opening in the crown sheet l6. Thus the open top end of the body provides a common discharge for'all three compartments of the syphon body, into the steam and water space l3 of the boiler, above the crown sheet.

Associated with the rear compartment of the body of each syphon is a downwardly and forwardly extending tubular inlet neck 38 of substantial length and the front end thereof fits in and is welded to a flexible diaphragm I811 in the inside throat sheet l8. Associated with the bottom end of the front compartment is a downwardly and forwardly inclined tubular inlet neck tion of the bottom part of the combusion chamber |2b to terminate in a relatively short curved part 39a.

The bottom of the intermediate compartment 33 is formed by a part 40 of a substantially circular formation and which at one end joins a part of the inlet tube 38 and which at the other end merges into that part of the syphon body that bottoms the front end compartment 3| thereof. With the arrangement of the necks 38 and 39 as spaced above the inlet neck 38. y Associated with the inlet neck 39 f each 39 disposed at a lesser angle than the inlet neck, 38 so as to be directed toward the front end pordescribed and shown in Fig. 1, the neck 39 is The feed water enters the boiler through a so-called check valve 29 which in this syphon is an intake tube 4| which is preferably of the same diameter as said neck 39. Each intake tube 4|, which is relatively long, is butt welded to the curved part 39a of the associated neck 39. Each intake tube 4| passes through an opening in the fiue sheet |4a provided therefor by the removal or omission of certain of the tubes or flues 20 at the bottom of the group of the same. Each intake tube is Welded to the flue sheet |4a from inside the firebox where it passes through said sheet.

The front end of each intake tube extends to a point relatively near the front flue sheet |4. As a considerable portion of each intake tube is disposed forwardly of the fiue sheet 4a and in a position above the bottom of the shell It) so as to be completely surrounded by the water therein, it is suitably supported in its operative position. One convenient way to support this part of each tube is by means of a plurality of longitudinally spaced chairs 42 or stands resting upon and rising from the bottom of the barrel or shell. The

forward extremity of said intake tube is wide open. In the flue sheet |4 axially in line with said extremity is a washout plug 43.

It is pointed out that when the improved construction is being embodied in a new boiler, openings for certain flues 20 are omitted from the flue sheet Mai to provide areas required for the openings in said flue sheet for the passage of the intake tubes 4| therethrough. When the improved structure is being embodied in aboiler already in service, certain of the flues 20 are removed and openings left thereby in the flue sheets l4 and Ma are plugged. This provides the closed areas in the flue sheet 4a through which other openings are formed for the passage of the intake tubes therethrough. In this respect, it is pointed out that the fiues 2U removed for this purpose are those disposed adjacent the bottom of the barrel. This, however, does not substantially reduce the efficiency of the boiler because said flues are often filled with cinders to such an extent that they have but little evaporative value. If a fire arch is desired, parts of the brick 44 therefor are engaged in supporting relation upon the intake tubes 38 as appears in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5, we have illustrated a modified form of boiler construction and wherein certain of the parts which are the same as in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, bear the same reference numerals. In the construction shown in said Fig. 5 the inlet neck 38a: for the rear compartment of the body is disposed at such an angle as to be directed toward the bottom portion of the flue sheet l4a. Adjacent the flue sheet, said neck has connected to it, the associated end of an intake tube 4|, the same as embodied in the structure of said Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The intake neck 391: associated with the front compartment 3| of the syphon body is shorter than theintake neck 38x and the end of said neck is formed as a laterally and outwardly extending elbow or bend 3911 which opens through the upper portion of a side sheet of the firebox.

In the operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, water is taken into the intake tubes 4| from the front end portion of the water space l3 of the boiler and enters the inlet neck 39 which leads to the front end chamber 3| of the associated syphon. Also, water is taken into the intake tube 38 from the throat 26 and enters the rear 'end chamber 32 of the syphon.

The twostreams of water entering the syphon from the inlets 38 and 39 co'mrningle" in the syphonbody, thereafter to pass upwardly into the steam and watorspace |3 with a gushing action above the crown sheet which is always kept flooded even under-low water conditions; By the arrangement described, much longerportions of the syphons are disposed'in the firebox than heretofore has been possible andtherefore, the effective evaporating surface is materially increased. Also, the longer inlet made possible by the arrangement described gives a greater flexibility so that the parts of the syphon may move relatively under-"temperature chambers without cracking or other damage.

With respectto the structure shown in Figs; 5' and 6, a part'of the water is drawn into the rear end chamber 32 of the-bodyofeach syphon from the front end portion of the water space I3 of-the boiler while a part of the'water is drawn that we do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodying therein a shell having a firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which fire.- box includes a crown sheet and a flue sheet, water steaming and circulating means in the firebox and having a plurality of inlet portions, one of said inlet portions extending through and forwardly of the flue sheet into and longitudinally of said steam and water space in a plane above the bottom thereof and entirely surrounded by the water in said space and adapted to take in water from the forward portion thereof, and another of said inlet portions opening through another sheet of the firebox other than and at a point below the crown sheet, said water steaming and circulating means having an outlet opening through one of the sheets of the firebox.

2. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodyin therein a shell having a firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which firebox includes a crown sheet and a flue sheet, water steaming and circulating means in the firebox having an outlet opening through the crown sheet and a plurality of inlet portions, one of said inlet portions extending through and forwardly of the flue sheet into and longitudinally of said steam and water space in a plane above the bottom thereof and entirely surrounded by the water in said space and adapted to take in water from the forward portion thereof, and another of said inlet portions opening through another sheet of the firebox other than and at a point below the crown sheet.

3. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodying therein a shell having a firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which firebox includesa crown sheet and a flue sheet, a water steaming and circulating element disposed in a substantially upright position and extending longitudinally of the firebox and includin-ga flat hollow body, means providing an outlet for said body opening through the crown sheet into that part of said steam and water space above the same, means providing a plurality of inlet portions for saiclbody, one for the front portion of the body and one for a portion of the body rearwardly of said front portion, one of said inlet portions extending longitudinally of but above the bottom of the shell and being arranged to take in water from a point in advance of the flue sheet toward the front end of said steam and water space and the other of said inlet portions opening through another of the sheets of the firebox other than and at a point below the crown sheet.

4 In combination with a locomotiveboiler emf bod ying therein a shell having a firebox at' its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which firebox includes a crown sheet and-a flue sheet, a water steaming and circulating element inthe firebox and including a fiat hollow-bodyarranged' longitudinally in the firebox in a substantially upright position and having a part opening through the crown sheet for the outlet of water from said body into said steam and water space,

means providing a plurality of inlet portions for said body, one for the front end of said body and one for the rear end of said body, the inlet portion for the front end of the body opening through and extending forwardly from the flue sheet and longitudinally of the shell toward the front end of said steam and water space and being disposed substantially adjacent but above the bottom of the shell and being surrounded by the water in said steam and water space, the inlet portion for the rear end of said body opening through another of the sheets of the firebox at a point below the crown sheet.

5. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodying therein a shell and having a firebox at one end thereofand a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of the firebox, said firebox formed to provide a main fire chamber and a combustion chamber having a flue sheet at the front end and having a throat sheet at the junction of said chambers, a water steaming and circulating element in said firebox embodying therein a flat hollow body opening at one end through the crown sheet so as to discharge water and steam into said space, a plurality of inlet portions for said body, one of said inlet portions extending through the combustion chamber and opening through and extending longitudinally of the boiler shell and forwardly of the flue sheet to take in water from the front end of said space, said inlet portion being surrounded by the water in said space and being disposed above the bottom of said shell, the other inlet portion for said body being disposed mainly in the main fire chamber and opening through another sheet of the firebox at a point below the crown sheet.

6. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodying therein a shell having a firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of the firebox and which firebox includes a crown sheet and a flue sheet, a hollow water steaming and circulating element in the firebox and including a body, the top of which presents an elongated opening through said crown sheet, and a relatively long tubular inlet connected at one end'to said body and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom through the flue sheet into and longitudinally along the bottom portion of the water space but above the bottom of the shell toward the front end of said space so as to be entirely surrounded by the water therein, the other inlet opening through another shell of the firebox other than and at a point below the crown sheet.

'I. In combination with a locomotive boiler embodying therein a shell having a water jacketed firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which firebox includes a crown sheet and a flue sheet, a duplex water steaming and circulating means in the firebox, said steaming devic comprising two spaced apart front and rear compartments in communication with each other and having a common outlet with inlets at their bottoms, an intake tube communicating with the forward compartment and extending through and forwardly of the flue sheet into and longitudinally of the boiler to a point remote from the flue sheet and in a plane above the bottom of the boiler and entirely surrounded by water in the boiler and a second tube connecting the rear compartment of the steamer with the water space adjacent the firebox.

. 8. In combination with a locomotive boiler em-t bodying therein a shell having a water jacketed firebox at its rear end and a steam and water space above as well as forwardly of said firebox and which firebox includes a crown sheet and a flue sheet, a water steaming and circulating means of the duplex type in the firebox, said steaming device comprising two spaced apart front and rear compartments in communication with each other and having a common outlet with inlets at their bottoms, an inlet tube communicating with the forward compartment and extending through and forwardly of the flue sheet with the portion projecting through the flue sheet disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and parallel with the boiler flues, the forward end of said tube being remote from the flue sheet and below the cold water inlet of the boiler, means for supporting the forward end of the intake tube within the boiler in spaced relation from the bottom of the boiler whereby the tube is entirely surrounded by water in the boiler and a second tube connecting the rear compartment of the steaming device with the water jacket of the firebox, said second tube entering the water jacket at a lower level than that of the intake tube projecting through the flue sheet. BERT E. LARSON. GUST J. CHRISTENSON. 

